Mattress display device



c. w. KEIVER MATTRESS DI SPLAY DEVICE April 13, 1937.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 23, 1935 w WW m ul wk. WW 6 ATTORNEY.

April 13, 1937. c. w. KEIVER MATTRESS DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Oct. 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet v INVENTOR. CHARLES WKEIVER BY WWW A TTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 13, 1937 UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE;

MATTRESS DISPLAY DEVICE Charles W. Keiver, Oakland, Calif. 7 Application October 23, 1935, Serial No. 46,302

,, t i f 8'Claims.

mattress or give it qualities not normal to the mattress.

A further object (is to provide a device of the M character described wherein a considerablepor 15 tion of the mattress is freely exposed for its examination-.- r g s The invention possessesother objects and features of advantage; some of which, with the forem going, will beset forth or be apparent in the following description of .a typical embodiment of the device, and in the accompanying drawings, in which v V s Figure l isaside elevation of a support unit embodying the present invention and supporting 2' a mattress therein.

Figure 2 is a front edge elevation of the mattress-supportmg unit. V

Figure 31s a plan view taken at 3-3 in Fig- 5 Figure 4 is'jan enlarged fragmentary perspective view taken at the line 4-4 in Figure 1. Figure-5 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken at the broken line'5-5 in Figure 1., V

s Figure 6 is, a reduced perspective view showing a row of the support units carrying mattresses in mutually parallel relation, one mattress being shown as disposed forwardly in the row for its examination. 1

As particularly illustrated, the mattress-sup- 40 porting unit ofmy invention essentially comprises ,aframe l which is provided with means to supportedly engage a mattress M from the sides thereof and is. supported by and between 7 upper and lower tracks Sand 9. The frame I "'45 comprises portions Hand l2 which are detachably connected, and the frame portion I2 mounts rollers l3 at the top and bottom thereof for engagement with the tracks 8 and 9 respectively.

. Each of the frame portions I I and I2 comprises '50 a pair of spaced flat bars l4 disposed in mutually parallel ,coplanarrelation, and, suitable elements connecting the barswhereby toiprovide a structure which is rigid in its plane. Preferably, and

as, shown, mutually intersecting bars l5. provide 55 the sole connection between the bars M'whereby an X-shaped frame portion is provided thereat. The bars l8 may be of angle cross-section, as

shown,,whereby to minimize the weight of the structure ,thereat while stiffening the same against transverse flexure. It Will be noted that the central frame portion now described corn-j prises the major portion of the frame area."

Elements l6 extend'transversely from the "bars 14 of the frame portion I2, and the elements iii are formed with portions ll and i3 and I9 which are so related that the portions l1 and I9 are mutually offset in parallel relation andare connected by the portion l8; as shown, the portion 18 is perpendicular toboth of the portions I! and I9. An element 2| is mounted opposite the p'ortion l1, said element having a portion 22' which corresponds to the portion ll of the element l6,

and a portion 23 which is perpendicular to the portion 22 and lies in coplanar relation to the portion iii of the element [6. A straightfplate member 24 engages against the portions 18 and 2! at the inner faces thereof, said element being fixed to the elements It and 2!; as particularly shown, bolts 25 and 26 secure the plate 24 to the portions [8 and. 2| respectively whereby the purtions I! and 22 may be held in fixedly spaced relation. 7

It will now be noted that the portions l1 and 22 of the elements 16 and 2| respectively are alike and are provided with aligned perforations adjacent their free extremities whereby they may mount the shaft or axle 21 of a roller l3 disposed between them and outwardly of the plate 24. In the present instance, the rollers I3 have cylindric bearing faces and the tracks 8 and 9 comprise channel members for receiving and guiding the rollers therein. The lower rollers I3 are cooperative to wholly support the frame land the mattress therein from the lower track 9, while the track 8 cooperates with the upper rollers 13 to retain the frame in vertical disposition.

It will be understood that if the treads of the rollers l3 were flanged, the tracks engaged there by might be of a usual T section.' It will be further understood that the portions I1 and 2| may be variably spaced to receive rollers of different widths between them merely by replacing the plates 24 with other plates which have their bolt-receiving perforations differently and appropriately spaced.

Members 3i extend from the bars H! of the frame member H at points opposite the members l6 of the frame section l2; Each member 3| comprises a portion 32 which lies in the plane of the bars 14 and a portion 33 which is perpen dicular to the portion 32 and is slotted from its free extremity to receive the bolt 26. Preferably, and as shown, the portions 33 are arranged for simultaneous disposal against the inner faces of the different plates 24 whereby they may each be clamped between the head of the bolt 26 and the opposed plate 24 when the bolt nut 34 is tightened, said nut being conveniently provided with wings for facilitating its manipulation manually. In this manner, the frame sections I l and I2 are releasably secured together in adjustably spaced relation.

Braces 35 connect the bars l4 with the outer ends of the portions l9 and 32 whereby to secure the elements l6 and 2| respectively in fixed angular relation to the respective bars. The elements I6 and 2| and 24 and 3| may comprise lengths of strap metal of requisite stiffness.

With the present general arrangement of parts in the frame sections, it will be understood that some or all of the portions I9 and 32 of the members [6 and 3i respectively might be provided as integral extensions of the crossed frame bars l5. In the latter case, the braces 35 could i be omitted.

As illustrated, the tracks 8 and 9 extend from a channel bar 37 which may be secured to and against a fixed upright structure such as a wall 38, the track 9 being fixed to a floor 39 which extends from the base of the wall 38. The upper track 8 is hingedly fixed to the bar 31 for swinging in a solely vertical plane whereby to facilitate a placement or removal of a frame 1 with respect to the tracks and insure the constant engagement of the track 8 with at least one roller I3 while it guides the roller therein.

A stop block 42 .is mounted at the outer end of the channel of the lower track 9 whereby its engagement by the forward roller 28 in the track channel is operative to limit a forward movement of the mounted frame. As shown, the spacing of the front elements Hi from the rear of the frame is less at the bottom of the frame than at the top thereof whereby the track 9 may be shorter than the track 8 and more foot space is permitted at the floor below the forward mattress and frame portions. I

Pointed pins 43 are fixedly mounted at spaced points on the bars l4 and 15 of each of the frame sections H and I2, said pins extending transversely into the space of the frame, and corresponding pins of the sections being substantially aligned whereby the aligned pins may cooperate to provide a support extending across the frame space; the pins may overlap, as is shown. It will be noted that a mounted mattress is arranged to extend generally forwardly from the frame, and that the central mattress portion is freely exposed forwardly of the bars !5.

It will now be noted that the mounting of a mattress M in the frame 1 may be effected by supporting the section l2 in a prone position and with the pins 43 thereof extending upwardly, the frame section H being removed. The mattress is disposed over the space of the section l2 and is pressed down upon the pins thereof to embed the latter therein. The member II is now pressed down upon the mattress to embed its pins 43 in the mattress while bringing the slots of the portions 33 into registration with the bolts 26. When the mattress is embraced by and between the frame sections, the wing nuts 34 are tightened to secure the frame sections together, and the frame may now be erected and mounted in the guideway provided by the tracks 8 and 9, it being noted that the frame is operative to maintain the mattress generally flat therein.

It will be understood that when the mattress is in its erect display position, the pins 43 secure the mattress in fixed position in the frame space and against deformation by reason of its weight. Also, the present arrangement avoids any forcible clamping of the mattress which might produce an unduly compressed zone in the mattress. The pins 43 cannot damage the mattress since they do not cut any of the material thereof when they are inserted in their operative positions in the mattress. Also, the support of the mattress solely from its sides and by the pins 43 permits the mounting of different sized mattresses in the frame.

While the elements of the frame members I l and i2 are particularly shown as being secured together by rivets, or may be welded together in unitary association, it will be understood that bolts might be used throughout as a means for fastening the elements together; in the latter case, the units would comprise knock-down structures.

Since it is usually desirable to displaya plurality of mattresses for comparison, a row of the present units may be provided at and along a wall, as is shown in Figure 6. Normally, all of the frames would be pressed back against the supporting wall. When a particular mattress is to be inspected, the same would be pulled forwardly with its frame to expose a full length edge portion for examination, it being understood that one test for a mattress is its softness and resiliency when pressed between a persons hands. The present arrangement is understood to facilitate the independent and free examination of a displayed mattress and to provide units which occupy a minimum of space and may be prosire to have it understood that the showing is primarily illustrative, and that such changes may be made as fall within the scope of the following claims,

1. In a means for supporting a mattress in a vertical plane, a frame enclosing the mattress for maintaining it in planar condition and comprising separable sections for disengagement to provide for the placement or removal of the mattress with respect to the frame, major and central portions of the frame sections each solely comprising pairs of intersecting bar members forming an X-shaped structure thereat whereby to freely expose a maximum portion of the mattress centrally thereof and extending laterally from the structure to an un-enclosed edge pormounted for relatively adjusted positioning in said plane.

3. In a device for supporting a mattress for the display and examination thereof, an open frame embracing the mattress, rollers mounted at opposite ends of said frame and in the general plane thereof, and horizontal and mutually parallel track members defining a vertical plane and engaging said rollers for the guided support of the frame in said vertical plane.

4. In a device for supporting a mattress in a vertical plane for the display and examination thereof, an open frame enclosing the mattress and arranged for vertical disposition, and pin members of uniform and relatively small crosssection extending transversely into the mattress from the frame and operative as the primary support means for the mattress in the frame when the latter is vertically disposed.

5. A structure in accordance with claim 4 characterized by the provision of the pin members in both sides of the frame and for cooperation in pairs, the pin members of a pair being mutually aligned.

v 6. In a device for supporting a mattress in a vertical plane for the display and examination thereof, an open frame embracing the mattress transversely thereof and comprising transversely separable sections for disengagement to provide for the placement or removal of the mattress with respect to the frame, means to mount said frame in a vertical plane, and pin members of uniform and relatively small cross-section extending from the frame sections into a mattress in the frame space and operative as the primary support means for the mattress when the frame is vertically disposed.

7. In a device for supporting a mattress for the display and manual examination thereof, an open frame embracing the mattress and vertically disposed, rollers mounted at upper and lower ends of said frame and in the general plane thereof, a

fixed and horizontal track member engaging beneath the lower said rollers for supporting the frame for the guided movement thereof in its plane, and a generally horizontal track member disposed in the plane and fixedly pivoted at one end thereof for swinging about an horizontal axis and arranged to removably rest upon an upper said roller while providing a guideway for the roller engaged thereby.

8. In a device for supporting a mattress in a vertical plane for the display thereof, an open frame embracing the mattress transversely thereof, means to mount said frame in a vertical plane, and pin members extending from the frame sec tions into a mattress in the frame space at various levels and distributed points therein andoperative as the primary support means for the mattress in the frame when the frame is vertically disposed.

CHARLES W. KEIVER. 

